Phoenix's Curse
by Unonome
Summary: The Phoenix is a creature of light, right? well, what if it wasn't. What if it was just a regular man, running from death.


**Phoenix's Curse**

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_**Foolish mortals be ye all**_

_**Who answer Phoenix's fated call **_

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_Foolish mortals. They have come to me again. Every year they come. They hope to gain the gift of immortality. Ha! I laugh at them. Look at them, begging me, "Honorable one, gift us with immortality in our old age in that we may gain the ultimate wisdom." Gift, my butt! A curse is more like it._

The phoenix stared broodingly at the group of men prostrating before him, his fiery eyes burning into the tops of their aged heads. He had seen this scene before. Every year they came and every year he turned them away. This year was different. He was finally ready. Turning his searching gaze upon them, he looked inside them to their hearts. What were their true desires? There, that one. Though the men all looked alike to the phoenix, this one was different; he was the Chosen one. He feared death. He had not come seeking knowledge or power.

_**Vital knowledge learned ye not**_

_**Before trying Phoenix's hidden plot**_

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_It seems that children are wiser than their elders. They never come asking for immortality. They are content with their short, mortal lives and live them happily. It is always the old ones who want more time, more knowledge, more power. They think they are so smart, but they have never tried to learn the whole story. You may ask, how do I know their minds? The answer is quite simple. I know their thoughts because, once upon a time, I also had those thoughts. I know because I was once one of them._

_The origin of the phoenix is unknown, but there was always one on Earth, only one. Its immortality made it so it could never die. Eternal life was granted to it but it could never have eternal sleep or peace. It had to continue living, day after day, year after year, never stopping, suffering excruciating pain throughout its rebirths. Finally it found a way out. It found a willing recipient and willingly gave away its life. Then began a new cycle of which I am the latest. I am the latest of a long line of cowards who ran from death. And this man will be next._

_**What ye asked for, shall now commence**_

_**Yet still, know ye not Phoenix's consequence**_

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The phoenix fluttered his wings and glided down from his perch high in the branches of the Tree of Ages. He landed gently on the shoulder of his Chosen one. Pointed glares shot at them as the rejected left. Once they were alone, the phoenix Changed. He took on the form of an old man. Startled, the Chosen one realized the Phoenix looked just like him.

"Come, young one. We must talk."

"But…but…wha...how" the man stuttered, surprised.

"How do I look like you?" The phoenix finished for him, almost laughing at the bewildered man. Struck speechless, the man nodded his head.

"I was once like you. Foolish, shallow, cowardly, _mortal_. My present form I received from my predecessor. Phoenixes, however, are not restricted to one form. Human, wolf, dragon, none are denied me, but on the day of rebirth, we revert back to our true forms. I have _been_ so many that I cease to remember who I was. Your form will suffice."

**_You he pitied and tried to warn_**

**_So deserving of the Phoenix's scorn_**

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Though somewhat affronted at the Phoenix's scorn, the man soon forgot the slight in his awe of his powers. "All phoenixes?" the man inquired eagerly, "Then there is more than one?"

"NO!" the phoenix rejoined bitterly, "There is only one, there has always been only one, and there had better always be only one." Seeing that the man was going to interrupt again, he warily held up a hand to silence him. "Enough! I only took on this form so that I could confirm your resolve." Subdued, the man waited. They stood quietly facing each other. The tension stretched out between them in an almost tangible form. Finally, the silence was broken by the Phoenix's grave, barely audible voice.

"Do you know what you want." It was not a question.

"Yes." He answered immediately with no hesitation.

"Every rebirth is accompanied by excruciating pain. Do you know what you want."

"Yes, I know." He replied solidly, but his eyes had been tainted with uncertainty and doubt. He was confused but it was too late.

Sorrowfully, the Phoenix warned him one last time. "You have chosen your path and you cannot turn back. Prepare yourself. No matter what happens, do not close your eyes." Then he changed back. _I tri_ed._ What happens next is his fault. He cannot turn back._ He flew into the air and hovered above the man's head.

_**Everything now flames rearrange,**_

_**Prepare yourself for Phoenix's change.**_

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_Just like every time before, the rebirth starts with a faint warmth in my belly. Only this ti__me, it won't be my rebirth. It will be his. The warmth has spread. Now my whole body is heating up. My feathers start to glow and smolder. I glance at the man. His eyes are watering from the heat, but, being the gullible fool that he is, he is actually listening to me and keeping them open. I find it very amusing. He doesn't know I was joking. Do you disapprove? Humor me. I'm dying._

As the heat grows more intense, the pain starts. It's like every little vein in my body is burning with a white-hot fire. My blood is scorching hot like liquid flame. When the pain becomes unbearable and the heat is everywhere, I burst into flames. It only takes a few seconds before my body has been reduced to ashes. In my past rebirths, the ashes have always reformed into a new body for my soul to occupy. I watch my ashes drift down on the man. When he is covered in black ashes, he too starts to glow. As his skin burns he screams. Soon he is nothing but a pillar of fire.

_When the flames die down, he stands there still. He has not died. Indeed, now he will never die for he has been changed. Looking at himself, he utters an exclamation of surprise. Well, what did he expect? Man's mental capacity never ceases to amaze me. He asked for this yet he did not believe it true? He looks joyful now and takes off to explore his new life, but every year he will learn. Time takes its toll on the mind if not the body and he will grow to hate me just as I once hated the one who gave me eternal life. When his anger abates and life becomes unbearable, he will be ready as I once was. You may ask how I am still here? Quite simply, I am not. I have gone to face what I should have faced long ago. It is strange, but death does not worry me anymore._

**_Foolish mortals, your fears disperse_**

**_Heed us now, flee Phoenix's Curse_**

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**AN:** ok, well, um. yeah. I was reading those Harry Potter fanfictions and Harry's animagus form was always a phoenix. It was kind of weird since Harry isn't supposed to have special abilities. He was supposed to be a regular kid that had the bad luck of being picked by the dark lord.Anyways,in all the stories thePhoenix was always acreature of light. I thought what if being a Phoenix was a curse? I also researched it and in some legends, it said there was only one phoenix. When the time came for it to die it would make a nest of cinnamon bark and fragrant leaves, and an egg of myrrh and burst into flames. So I took the legend and sort of changed it.


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